Post by sakasakebariuk on Jan 18, 2012 10:10:12 GMT
After last week’s success on the river I decided another outing would be in order. I have recently purchased a second hand Yamame Tenkara Rod and decided that would be the rod to use today.
Some of my best fishing trips have come from thinking outside the box. Many fly fisherman and women are creatures of habit, returning to the same spot, trip after trip, based on previous success. Trapped in a rut, these anglers tend to rely on the same techniques and strategies to catch their trout and grayling, regardless of the conditions or the season.
The section of the river axe that I fish is not heavily overfished, and I can count on one hand how many anglers I meet during the season. Of the anglers that I do see fishing the river they tend to target the areas they have had previous success. However I prefer to work the little nooks and crannies that rarely get fished. I’ve caught countless trout and grayling (some in excess of 16 inches) in the swift-flowing, highly oxygenated rifles most fly fishers overlook.
“Pocket water is best defined as a section of stream where obstacles of all sizes (both protruding and submerged) are randomly sprinkled throughout a long riffle or run. The obstacles divide the river into a series of cascades, producing deflections in the current commonly referred to as pockets. Think of each pocket as a miniature pool.”
I have noticed when fishing the river axe that fly fisherman and women avoid pocket water because the difficult wading and repetitious casting required by the fast water is hard work. At the end of the day, the extra effort is worth it, in most cases, the more difficult the terrain, the better the fishing.
Reading the water is one of the greatest challenges to successful pocket water fishing. Don’t let the faster currents and white water intimidate you. The method I adopt when fishing pocket water is to break the river into small sections and cast to all the likely spots that provide a current break or offer seams between fast and slower moving water.
Typical holding areas are in front of, to the side of, and a couple of feet behind each obstacle (boulders, tree stumps, etc.). Other areas to concentrate on include the inside edges of either fast/slow or rock-created seams. Trout and grayling prefer these lies because seams channel a steady food supply.
Where possible I try and avoid fishing the swirling reverse current directly behind obstacles because it is too unpredictable for trout and grayling to hold in, and it’s difficult to get a good drift. In order to fish the water behind the obstacle I try and cast 2 to 3 feet upstream to avoid getting trapped in the reverse current.
Trout and grayling often hold toward the end of the pocket water. These feeding lanes require less energy due to additional rocks slowing the pace of the current. These pockets also occur close to the bank, creating holding areas that are excellent for terrestrials and dry-dropper rigs.
Where several obstacles gather to form a large riffle, you’ll find a cosmic array of complex currents. Each seam becomes a tiny buffet line for trout, and these slots are excellent areas to find the larger fish with weighted nymph or in my case a Ishigaki Kebari (black and white variation has worked very well for me this season)
I typically cover the water methodically by slowly working upstream from pocket to pocket. I Fish one pocket, then wade into it and fish the next pocket, repeating the process as I move upstream. With this strategy, you find yourself in the fast water only when moving between pockets, and often standing in the softer pocket you just finished fishing. I usually cast 2-3 times in each pocket ensuring that the fly drifts, drift-free. If you have not had any indication or take form a fish then move on to the next pocket of water. I usually get some indication of fish presents on the initial cast. As the water moves quite quickly over these areas, fish do not have time to inspect the fly and have to make a split second decision as to whether to take the fly.
The days fishing was very successful, in total I had 8 grayling ranging fromm 5 - 11 inches. I was very impressed with the Tenkara Yamame fly rod, it certainly has more backbone than the Tenkara Ebisu.
Below is a photo of one of the grayling. Will upload some more photos later today.
Kind Regards
SKUK
Some of my best fishing trips have come from thinking outside the box. Many fly fisherman and women are creatures of habit, returning to the same spot, trip after trip, based on previous success. Trapped in a rut, these anglers tend to rely on the same techniques and strategies to catch their trout and grayling, regardless of the conditions or the season.
The section of the river axe that I fish is not heavily overfished, and I can count on one hand how many anglers I meet during the season. Of the anglers that I do see fishing the river they tend to target the areas they have had previous success. However I prefer to work the little nooks and crannies that rarely get fished. I’ve caught countless trout and grayling (some in excess of 16 inches) in the swift-flowing, highly oxygenated rifles most fly fishers overlook.
“Pocket water is best defined as a section of stream where obstacles of all sizes (both protruding and submerged) are randomly sprinkled throughout a long riffle or run. The obstacles divide the river into a series of cascades, producing deflections in the current commonly referred to as pockets. Think of each pocket as a miniature pool.”
I have noticed when fishing the river axe that fly fisherman and women avoid pocket water because the difficult wading and repetitious casting required by the fast water is hard work. At the end of the day, the extra effort is worth it, in most cases, the more difficult the terrain, the better the fishing.
Reading the water is one of the greatest challenges to successful pocket water fishing. Don’t let the faster currents and white water intimidate you. The method I adopt when fishing pocket water is to break the river into small sections and cast to all the likely spots that provide a current break or offer seams between fast and slower moving water.
Typical holding areas are in front of, to the side of, and a couple of feet behind each obstacle (boulders, tree stumps, etc.). Other areas to concentrate on include the inside edges of either fast/slow or rock-created seams. Trout and grayling prefer these lies because seams channel a steady food supply.
Where possible I try and avoid fishing the swirling reverse current directly behind obstacles because it is too unpredictable for trout and grayling to hold in, and it’s difficult to get a good drift. In order to fish the water behind the obstacle I try and cast 2 to 3 feet upstream to avoid getting trapped in the reverse current.
Trout and grayling often hold toward the end of the pocket water. These feeding lanes require less energy due to additional rocks slowing the pace of the current. These pockets also occur close to the bank, creating holding areas that are excellent for terrestrials and dry-dropper rigs.
Where several obstacles gather to form a large riffle, you’ll find a cosmic array of complex currents. Each seam becomes a tiny buffet line for trout, and these slots are excellent areas to find the larger fish with weighted nymph or in my case a Ishigaki Kebari (black and white variation has worked very well for me this season)
I typically cover the water methodically by slowly working upstream from pocket to pocket. I Fish one pocket, then wade into it and fish the next pocket, repeating the process as I move upstream. With this strategy, you find yourself in the fast water only when moving between pockets, and often standing in the softer pocket you just finished fishing. I usually cast 2-3 times in each pocket ensuring that the fly drifts, drift-free. If you have not had any indication or take form a fish then move on to the next pocket of water. I usually get some indication of fish presents on the initial cast. As the water moves quite quickly over these areas, fish do not have time to inspect the fly and have to make a split second decision as to whether to take the fly.
The days fishing was very successful, in total I had 8 grayling ranging fromm 5 - 11 inches. I was very impressed with the Tenkara Yamame fly rod, it certainly has more backbone than the Tenkara Ebisu.
Below is a photo of one of the grayling. Will upload some more photos later today.
Kind Regards
SKUK
You should see it up here, pretty drab at the moment.